To those who have decided to peripherally monitor this train to see of it goes off the rails, I feel obligated to inform you that I am not a same time every day writer. It comes when it comes and the schedule allows. I would love to be a same time every day AM writer. Alas, there are days when I am a PM writer, and even late night writer. (In fact, that is most days) Happy Scribing.

Jan. 24/25 – Days 85 & 86 – 1025 Words

Greetings, Irony 3 or Bust Novel Train passengers. If you look out your window to the Engineer’s left, you will be able to see passing glimpses of the rustically beautiful town of 13th Weekington. Clearly visible on the edge of town is the chapter tower, standing at a one hundred and thirty vertical feet, originally built around the 1924-word mark of Irony, Book 1- The Animal. A structural marvel still used to this day to store word-count rations in the event of an emergency.“Is it my imagination, or are you about the corniest guy to survive the birthing process.”

Anyway—wait, first a flu update. My bug is lingering around, poking me in the fever from time to time to let me know that my immune system is still in a fight. Basically, what that means is that I am still in suckville, just maybe in a classier neighborhood. I was about to look up something else, just like I looked up the origins of the phrase ‘sick as a dog’ and shared it with you. What? You think I made that stuff up about Marcus Aurelius and his general.“You said you made it up, so they already know it's not real.”

Oh, well, it doesn’t mean there isn’t a ring of truth. Speaking of rings---okay, wait, I am about to give you a glimpse into my thought process. I just typed the statement ‘ring of truth,’ which brought to mind ‘lord of the rings,’ which brought to mind fantasy genre stuff, which then brought to mind the Highlander line, ‘There Can Only Be One.’ So, what I was about to say was, speaking of rings, Rainy of the Dark is having a one winner take all 53-ebook giveaway, in which yours truly has entered a title. Sticky Buns. Click Ebook Giveaway link located in the right margin for more information.

Okay, where was I? Oh, yeah, I was about to look up why is it that when you are sick, you start to feel better and think it is over, and then, Bam! You feel like crap all over again, leaving you to wonder what happened to the feeling better feeling. Now, I have said that having wonder about some stuff is a good thing. Which leads me, instead of looking it up, to wonder about why this happens. Are you ready? Here is my theory:“Wait, are you going to besmirch the reputation of the esteemed Marcus Aurelius again? Because, I have to tell you, I liked Gladiator--”

Oh, go play with your stick or something. Anyway, like I was saying, here is my theory on why we feel better and think we are healed, but then are not. Our immune systems are saps! That’s right, I said it, John and Jane Doe Immune are pushovers. I am not saying they are weak, because, believe me, to keep us upright, they have to be about the strongest thing going. However, as strong and mighty as they are, they are a bit naive. Here is how I think it goes:

They got the virus on the run, fighting and chasing him to the ends of our circulatory system. Then, all of a sudden, the virus says, “Come on John and Jane, we can be friends, right? We don’t have to keep at each other’s throats. I am tired of all this fighting. Listen here, you guys go out and have yourselves a night on the town. Joe? here is a few bucks. Spare no expense at treating your fine wife there to a good time. I promise you guys, by the time you get back, I will have moved on. I’m out of here, moving on to a nice little warm spot I camped out yesterday. To show you I am sincere, let’s shake on it.”

John goes to shake, Jane reaches out for the money, and while they are distracted, those little green things from the mucus commercials jump them from behind. They never get their night out on the town, or rid of the cold. They fall for it time and time again, until finally the virus doesn’t have enough green mucus guys left to jump them, and has no choice but to give it up. And I know this explanation is true, because I have been living it for the last week. Happy writing people. See calendar on Contact page for blurb.

Jan. 26/27 – Days 87 & 88 – 1074 Words

Don’t know what much to say, besides that I am still on the rails and driving this puppy toward “The End.” Maybe because I am tired and still feeling residuals from the cold from hades that doesn’t want to leave. Ugh. Still, at least I can taste my food now. Eating sucks when you can’t taste what you are eating. Let me rephrase that, I thank God for all he blesses me with. That said, eating sucks when you can’t taste your food. Yes, The Creator of the universe and I have that kind of relationship. I understand that He has a sense of humor, and he understands that I am a joke waiting to happen.

But, seriously, I am tapping along on the keyboard rails, putting together my book a day at a time, and just hoping to stay in the game. I plan to stick it out, and by the grace of that creator I just mentioned, I believe I will. I said I would type whatever is on my mind in these updates. The problem with that at the moment is that my mind is blank-blankety-blank-blank. Which leaves me to type what is not on my mind. So, that is what I am doing, typing what is not on my mind. And what is not on my mind is trying to come up with things to say that are not on my mind. If you followed that, then you know I am not a blogger.

If I were, I would have sat here with a prepared topic and had some kind of direction to this update, which is now turning into a blankety-blank session. Hmm, that brings to mind something I wrote about nothing. What’s that? How could I write something about nothing? If you follow the link I am about to post, which will take you to my poetry website, then you will find out. It is a three–person gig instead of the usual two I do here; where I explain a whole lot of nothing. Happy writing people. See Contact page for calendar blurb.

Chugging along past days 89 & 90, locomoting into the wild blue yonder and nearing the end of another writing week. Sounds like a beautiful thing to me. Hmm, sounds like a beautiful thing? What does a beautiful thing sound like? I suppose it is subjective. Visual beauty can be widely agreed upon. Most people would say Roses and Lilies are beautiful flowers, but what does a ‘beautiful thing’ sound like? A song can sound beautiful, right? I mean, we’ve all said, or heard someone say, “That’s a beautiful song.” So, yeah, songs can sound beautiful.

Right this minute I am reminded of George Bailey’s words from ‘It’s a Wonderful Life,’ one of my favorite movies. He used the word exciting to describe anchor chains, plane motors and train whistles, but on some level exciting can be translated as beautiful, right? Just picture it; you are waiting on a loved one you’ve been separated from for a long time to arrive, and you finally hear their mode of transportation coming? That would be a beautiful sound to you, wouldn’t it? Of course, if you shared a contentious relationship with said loved one and were hoping they wouldn’t come back, and then you hear their ride coming, I suppose that would neither be exciting nor beautiful to your ears.

Swinging back around to music, I think string instruments sound beautiful when strung by talented artists. You can put pianos on that list for me as well. Thinking about it, there are all sorts of sounds that can be classified as beautiful. I am sure you have some of your favorites. Now, here is the question that makes everything I just said as subjective as an impressionistic art piece hanging on a museum wall: What is your definition of beautiful? I suppose, since this is my blog post update--

“An update you are supposed to be filling with Irony 3 Novel Train related data, by the way. Just sayin.”

And you said it beautifully. Now, what I was about to say was that since this is my blog post update, then I guess I should offer my definition of what I think is beautiful. Hmm…okay, since you put me on the spot, I think nature is beautiful, and I mean the whole of it. From the picturesque landscape, to the lioness hunting down and capturing prey for her pride. I think overcoming is beautiful. To triumph over hardship through perseverance is a beautiful thing to me.

Songs, art, a good movie, play or book? Yes, but to have a person see another in need, and then give of some of their last to help them? A beautiful thing. That they have nothing, but are willing to give of their nothing to uplift another, makes their souls shine in a blinding beautiful light. Donating out of your abundance to the needy is also beautiful, as well as the things I have already mentioned, and a host of others I left out. But, to take your last dollar and rip it in half to feed hope into another soul is, to me, the epitome of beauty in this world. Happy writing people.

See calendar on Contact page for blurbs.

Jan. 30 – Day 91 – 512 Words

End of another writing week riding the rails, billowing stack smoke, on the Irony 3 or Bust Novel Train. Passed some rough terrain this week, as the words came, but not without a whole lot of nose blowing and coughing. For those wondering what I am talking about, I have been enduring a cold the past two weeks. Ugh, and was it nasty. It is on its last legs, however, and I give thanks to the Grace of God which got me through the writing days. And, which is also an addendum to what is beautiful to me.

Okay, so, on to the writing day. Wait a minute! Have you seen it? Seen what? There is an Irony 3 or Bust Novel Train video now. Yeppers, there sure is! To be perfectly honest, unless you make this site a daily visit… (which I don’t see why you wouldn’t. I mean, I do.)

“That’s because it is your website.”

Oh, right, sorry. Anyway, there is a brand spanking new (created today) Irony 3 or Bust Novel Train video. Alright, so I am thirteen weeks behind the eight ball on this one. Still, better late than never, right? A few have told me they like it. If you want to chime in about what you think, feel free to comment below, or on YouTube. You can follow the link to YouTube that I will share at the end of this update, or navigate your way to the home page, where it is posted as well. I had fun making it and hope you enjoy.

Okay, so about the writing day. Thankfully, some of those plot points I was waiting to become clear as I wrote have burst onto the scene. The book is definitely alive and breathing now. Love, love, love it. That is not to say all is crystal clear, but the major stuff has opened up like a clam on a fire when it’s done. And, as I pen those major events taking place, the crystal clear will fill itself in. How do I know this? See Irony, Irony 2, Deep Within and Sticky Buns.

So, on this 91st day of driving the caboose of this Novel Train, it is looking more and more like I will – I will? We will – reach our final destination of ‘The End.’ And this endeavor will not end up an unfinished manuscript, forever collecting dust in a forgotten drawer or dusty crawlspace. And that, my fellow passengers, is also a beautiful thing. Still, the rails must be ridden until ‘The End.’ Hopefully, by the Grace of God will we make it.